The Church celebrates the feast of St. Martha on July 29. If Mary, her sister, chose the better part, and we celebrate Martha in the liturgy as a Saint, then surely Mary too is a saint. When is her feast day? (I notice that St. Martha's feast is the octave of St. Mary Magdalene. Is she also Mary of Bethany?) Thanks.

Answer by Fr. John Echert on 11/12/2012:

The opinion of the early commentators upon the Gospels--the Church Fathers--was that Mary Magdalene was the same Mary of Bethany. The mystic Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich has much to write on this matter, whose views are not infallible but very interesting. It is likely that the unnamed woman who was known to be a sinner, from whom demons were driven, is also this same Mary.